Wilson



(No Model.) 4

W. T'.` BOHANNAN.

LOCK. r 5 No. 557,952. PatentedApr. '7., 1,895.

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NITED STATESI PATENT OFFICE.

VILSON T. BOHANNAN,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,952, dated April 7, 1896.

d Application filed December 6, 1895. Serial No.571,240. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILsoNT. BOHANNAN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locks or Latches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a key-guard for ordinary latches or locks whereby the said latches or locks may be rendered much more secure and better fortified against being picked than are ordinary locks or latches of the same character.

A further object of the invention is to provide a guard adapted to be introduced into the key-sleeve of the lock or latch casing, the said guard being so constructed that the wards therein will be adjustable, so that any desired number of combinations may be made, and therefore the same style of -lock may be made to require different constructions of keys to operate it.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the wards of the guard that the key can be turned only in one directionmnamely, in direction to unlock the bolt or the latch.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a transverse section through the lock-casing at the keyreceiving sleeve therein, the said section being taken through the bolt, illustrating the bolt-operating dog partially in side elevation and partially in section, the key in side elevation, and the guard in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the guard', the said guard being removed from the lock; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ward removed from the said guard and a section through the key passed through the ward.

In carrying out the invention the casing A of the lock may be of the usual construction, and its key-sleeve 10 may be of any desired shape. Preferably, however, it is, as usual, substantially cylindrical in form and is provided likewise with the usual ian ge 11 said dog, as shown in Fig. l,whereby the dog may be turned by a proper movement of the key in a manner to throw the bolt or latch inward.

The invention particularly relates to the guard B. This guard comprises aframe and wards 18, located within the frame. The frame preferably consists of two side pieces 19 and a cap 20, connecting the side pieces. Each side piece is provided with any desired number of slots, openings, or apertures 21, and the number and location of these openings or apertures are the same in each side piece, while in the cap 2O a key-slot 22 is produced. Each ward l8is provided Withakeyslot 23 also, and the key is provided with as many transversely-alining recesses 24 in its side edges asthere are wards employed in the guard, recesses being likewise made for the cap of the guard, which is virtually a ward.

The guard is simply slipped within the locking-sleeve 10, and since the frame of the guard is preferably made from one piece of spring metal it will not need any fastening device -to hold it in position, being maintained within the sleeve by friction. Therefore when the sleeve has been introduced into the lock, no matter how simple the construction of the lock may be, even after the key engages with the bolt operating the dog 13, the key cannot be turned unless it has been especially prepared for the particular combination of wards in the guard secured within the lock.

It is frequently desirable that the key shall turn but in one directionnamely, in direction to open the lock or latch-and this may be accomplished by causing the recesses 23, necessarily made at the central portion of the Walls of the slots 23 in the cap and wards of the guard to permit the key to turn, to have a segmental form at diagonally opposite sides IOO only, as shown at din Fig. 3, so that a segmental Wall, representing, for example, a quarter of a circle, will be provided in each recess, to be connected with a substantially straight Wall forming a shoulder a', against which the edges of the key Will strike When the key has been sufficiently turned, and preventing the key from turning in direction of the shoulders, necessitating it being turned toward the segmental Walls a.

The key is introduced, for example, With the main slots 23 in the Wards and in the cap of the guard, and When turned to unlock the latch under the construction shown in the drawings it Will stand at a right angle to the said slots.

Havin g thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A key-guard adapted to be introduced in the sleeve of a lock, the same consisting of a frame constructed of spring metal, comprising side pieces, a cap connected with the side pieces, and Wards held between the side pieces of the frame, the Wards and cap having keyhole-slots for the reception of the key, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A key-guard adapted to be introduced into the sleeve of a lock, the same consisting of a frame constructed of spring metal, comprising side pieces, a cap connected with the side pieces, and Wards held between the side pieces of the frame, the Wards and cap having keyhole-slots for the reception of the key, and said keyhole-slots being shaped to prevent the key from turning in any but one direction, substantially as shown and described.

3. A key-guard, consisting of a U-shaped frame having a series of transversely-alined openings in its arms, and a removable Ward capable of adjustable connection with the frame, substantially as described.

4. A key-guard, consisting of a U-shaped resilient frame and a Ward capable of adjustable connection with said frame, substantially as described.

WlLSON T. BOHANNAN.

Vitnesses:

EDWIN L. GWATHMEY, CHAs. F. PETERS. 

